3 Stories/30 Seconds

The number of U.S. banks that now support Apple Pay continues to grow. A total of 44 new bank and credit unions have recently been added, according to AppleInsider.

Since launching in the U.S. in 2014, Apple Pay is now available in Australia, Canada, China, Singapore and the U.K.

What’s encryption?

In the first iOS 10 beta release, Apple has done something extraordinary. The OS kernel, which controls how software is processed by the device’s hardware, has been exposed for the entire world to see since it’s unencrypted.

As the BBC rightly notes, “The move should make it easier for researchers to flag flaws that could otherwise be exploited by hackers.”

Should Apple buy American Express?

Apple makes $0.15 per every $100 spent using Apple Pay, which compares unfavorably to what MasterCard and Visa get, usually between 2 percent and 4 percent per transaction. To increase these numbers, Brian Nichols from InvestorPlace has an interesting suggestion: Apple should buy American Express (AMEX).

He notes: “What makes AXP so great for AAPL is what separates it from the likes of MasterCard and Visa. American Express is very much a club that attracts the wealthy. It does not bottom feed off low-income consumers or students like MasterCard or Visa.”

Make sense?

Trending/15 Seconds

Every four years, some Americans threaten to move to Canada in the event that president candidate “x” wins the election. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both have high disapproval numbers, hence #FirstThingAfterMovingToCanada.